How to Troubleshoot: Windows 10 Freezing when Pressing Print Screen Command Button

The Print Screen button is used to take a screenshot on Windows computers, but sometimes this button can cause the computer to hang. The problem occurs when debug mode is set as the default boot mode in Windows 10. There are many other reasons that can cause Windows 10 to hang, including damaged keyboard or graphics drivers.

You encounter this error when you press the “Print Screen” button to take a screenshot, but the system suddenly hangs and you have to restart your computer. This problem can occur with any Windows application.

What causes Windows 10 to freeze when you click on the print screen?

• The print screen is related to the GPU drivers. Each time the tool is called, it captures part of the screen and saves it. If there is a conflict, the computer may hang.
• The main reason your Windows 10 computer hangs is that the system is configured to boot in debug mode. However, the main cause of the hang can be a corrupted graphics driver or a faulty keyboard. Usually, this problem occurs when you try to take a screenshot on your computer using the keyboard button.

How to resolve freezing when pressing Print Screen on Windows 10?

Turn off debug mode

1. Type System Configuration in the search bar and click Open.
2. Select the Boot tab and click Advanced Options.
3. Locate the Debug checkbox and uncheck it.
4. Click OK to save your changes.
5. Then restart your computer and check to see if the error has been fixed.

Debug mode is used to optimize the system and is usually only used by experienced users. Sometimes a newly installed application can automatically activate debug mode, causing problems with certain functions.

Using SFC scan

1. Type cmd in the search box and click Run as administrator. This will launch the command line with administrator privileges.
2. In the command prompt window, type the command below and press Enter.
   sfc /scannow
3. After successfully running the command, restart your computer and check if the error has been fixed.

Reinstalling the graphics and keyboard drivers

1. If updating the driver does not solve the problem, download the latest driver version from the manufacturer’s website.
2. Now right-click the Windows button on the taskbar and select Device Manager.
3. Locate the display adapters and expand them.
4. Right-click on the video card and select Uninstall Device.
5. Select the Uninstall driver software for this device checkbox and click OK to complete the process.
6. Then repeat the same process with the keyboard driver and wait until it is uninstalled.
7. Restart your computer and see if the problem is resolved.
8. Windows can install the default drivers on your computer after uninstalling the previous drivers, which should resolve the OEM site driver problem.
9. If the error persists, install the drivers downloaded from the OEM website.

Implement a clean boot

1. Enter System Configuration in the search box and click the Services tab.
2. Select the Hide all Microsoft services check box.
3. Now select the first half of the services by manually selecting the appropriate check box.
4. Click OK and restart your computer.
5. Check if the problem has been resolved.
6. If the error persists, it indicates that one of the selected services caused the error. In this case, head on to step 6.
7. However, if the button now works correctly, repeat the procedure with the services you did not select in step 3.
8. Repeat the same process as in step 3, but this time select half of the previously selected services and click OK.
9. Restart your computer and check if the error is resolved. If not, repeat the process until you find the problem application.
10. Once you identify the faulty application or driver, update it. If the updated application does not work, reinstall it.

A clean boot loads the system with a minimal set of drivers and applications. This allows users to identify and fix corrupted drivers that may be causing problems.

Frequently Asked Questions